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Crowball
Crowball is an extremely dangerous nautical sport that has become very popular in the post-flood world. In brief, Crowball is a nautical game of skill, cunning and physical prowess played between two crews using their vessels as a playing field. Before play, the ships are brought alongside each other's broadside and gangplanks are laid between the two ships. Each team will place a painted cannonball known as a "Thug" in their crow's nest to act as a game ball. The first team to collect their opponent's Thug and return it to their own crow's nest while their Goalie or “Tyrant” is present wins. It is not necessary to be in possession of your own team's Thug to score. Rules of Crowball The Thug Traditionally, the thug is a normal cannonball that has been painted in it's team's colours. Legal thugs must match the following criteria: 1) The Thug must be able to be fired from a 12 pounder ship's cannon 2) The Thug must be at least partially constructed from lead 3) The Thug must weigh between 11 and 13 pounds Objects that match these criteria, but that would not ordinarily be considered a cannonball, are still considered legal thugs. If any foul play is suspected in the construction of the enemy team's thug a team may request that the thug be weighed and measured to ensure it is legal prior to the beginning of play. Once play has begun teams can no longer invoke this right. Teams Teams are made up of 5 Crooks and 1 Tyrant from each team. There are no restrictions on the age, gender, height, weight or species of a team member. However, a Tyrant must be able to climb to their own team's crow's nest and back down to the deck unassisted and without the use of magic before play begins. A Crook's role in the game is to steal the enemy team's thug and bring it back to their own ship's crows nest. They can use any tactic they desire to achieve this. A Tyrant's role is to both protect their thug from enemy players and to act as the goal for their own team. In order to score, a team's Tyrant must raise the enemy team's thug above their head, whilst standing in their own crow's nest and exclaim "Goal!". There are no restrictions on a Tyrant leaving their own team's crow's nest, whether voluntarily or by force. If a Tyrant is removed from play for breaking the rules, that team automatically forfeits the match since they can no longer complete a goal. If a Tyrant is rendered unconscious during play, the game continues since it is possible that the Tyrant could recover and be able to complete a goal. Swabs Each team is permitted to have up to 3 Swabs: players who can be substituted in for another player mid-game. Swabs may be substituted for a Tyrant, but they do so as an extra Crook and not as a Tyrant. Therefore, a team that has exchanged their Tyrant for a Swab is unable to score until the Tyrant returns to the field. For a swab to be allowed to exchange places with an active player, they must touch both the railing of their own ship and the player they are being substituted for. It is legal for a Swab to switch places with an unconscious team member. Swabs can not be used to replace team members who have been removed from play due to rule breaking. Scoring Due to the difficulty of scoring a goal in Crowball, the first team to score a single goal is considered the winner. In order to score a goal the enemy team's thug must be returned to a team's crow's nest and handed to the team's Tyrant. This Tyrant must then raise the thug above their heads and exclaim "Goal!" 1) The Tyrant must be within their own team's crow's nest to score. 2) The Tyrant a be able to raise the thug above their head to score. Playing Field The active playing field in a game of Crowball is considered to be the entirety of both ships and the environment around them to a range of 50 feet in every direction. Players who go further than 50 feet from any part of either ship are considered out of bounds. That player is then removed from the game, and their team must carry on with one less player. Simple illusions can be employed to assist in the measurement of this range. Spectators must not stray further than 5 feet from the railing of their ship at any point in the match. They may not cast spells that would interfere with the game or touch either thug, unless that thug is held against them by a player or thrown at them or rolls into them during play. There are no restrictions on spectators touching, attacking or grappling with active team members however, and team members that go near spectators do so at their own peril. If a spectator breaks the rules, they are to be forcibly jettisoned from the ship and into the water. They may not come aboard either ship again until the game has concluded. If three spectators are jettisoned in this manner, the team with the most rule-breakers in the water forfeits the match. Time Limit Due to the challenge involved with scoring a goal in Crowball games can run unreasonably long. The captains of each ship must agree whether a time limit is to be enforced or not before the match begins. They must also agree upon what length of time is to be considered acceptable and how to measure it in a way that both captains are happy with. Some examples of time-keeping practices used in the past include: 1) 1 hour according to the pocketwatch of one of the captains 2) Until the flame goes out on a fresh, 5 inch tall candle lit at the start of the game 3) From sunrise to sunset 4) One calendar week Since there are no draws in Crowball, should a time limit expire the objective of the game changes. Now, the first team to throw the enemy Tyrant's body overboard or render the enemy Tyrant unconscious is the winner. This is a significantly easier objective and should hasten resolution of the match. Use of Magic and Magic Items The use of magic spells during a game of Crowball is permitted, however in the spirit of fairness the maximum level of spell that can be used by a team member cannot exceed the maximum level of spell able to be cast by the enemy team. For example, if one team has a level 5 spellcaster on their team but the other team only has a level 2 spellcaster, only spells of level 2 or lower may be used during that game. Magic items are also permitted, but must be agreed upon by both captains before the start of play. If either captain objects to the use of a magic item, that item may not be used during the game. Players discovered using a magic item that was not agreed upon by both captains before the start of play will be considered to have committed a foul. That player will be removed from play, and their team must continue with one less player on their team. Adjudication of rules during play A referee must be selected before play to ensure that rules are adhered to by players and deal out punishments to offending players. If anyone attacks the referee during play, that player is removed from play and their team must continue on with 1 less player. If a spectator attacks a referee, that spectator is jettisoned from the ship according to the rules listed above. If a referee is incapacitated or killed during a match, they can be replaced with another. However, a referee must be able to recognize a goal for that goal to qualify, meaning that if a goal is scored before a replacement referee is brought onto the field that goal does not count. Most commonly an impartial referee will be selected by the captains of both ships. If the captains are unable to reach a consensus as to who can act as an impartial referee the captains may duel to determine who gets to choose the match referee. In tournaments, or if either of the teams have means to do so, a Spectral Adjudicator may be summoned to referee over a game. The details of this spell are noted below: Summon Spectral Adjudicator Level One Conjuration V S M (Two Thugs) Casting Time: 10 Minutes Duration: 24 Hours, concentration You conjure a magical construct of pure Lawfulness to serve as referee in a game of Crowball. The Adjudicator has the statistics of a Modron Monodrone, except that it carries no weapons and has advantage on perception checks that rely on sight. The Adjudicator will referee the game to the best of its ability showing no favoritism to either team regardless of who summoned it. Once the game is ended and the Adjudicator has announced a winning team it disintegrates leaving nothing behind. Injuries and Death Should anyone be injured or killed during a game of Crowball, the enemy team is considered to be responsible for any medical expenses incurred. This is to promote a sense of sportsmanship between the teams. These rules can be waived if the Captains of both ships agree to do so. Engaging in a game where these rules are not observed is know as "Brackish Crowball" and while frowned upon by some, it is still considered a legal game. If a player is wounded or maimed (as defined below) this does not interrupt play. The injured player may receive healing whilst on the field of play, however they can only receive this healing if administered by another active player. If a spectator attempts to administer aid to an injured player, that player is removed from play and their team must continue with one less player. If a player is killed during play this does interrupt play, and the other team forfeits the match. Wounds If a player suffers an injury that does not require special magical intervention to heal, this is considered a "Wound". The wounded party is expected to receive either clerical magic or healing potions sufficient to fully heal the injury from the other team. If the other team is unable to provide sufficient healing, they can instead provide enough gold to purchase healing potions sufficient to repair the damage instead. Maimings If a player suffers an injury that cannot be healed with a healing potion, and therefore require special magical intervention to heal, this is considered a "maiming". The maimed party is expected to receive magical healing appropriate for their maiming. For example, a severed arm must be treated with a regeneration spell and a magically induced disease must be treated with a lesser restoration spell. If the other crew cannot provide the appropriate treatment, they must provide enough gold to purchase a scroll of the appropriate spell. Killings If a player is killed during the game, the other crew must raise them from the dead or provide enough money to pay for this ritual to be performed by a capable cleric. Self Inflicted Injuries and Suicide If a player inflicts a wound upon themselves intentionally or commits suicide, the other team is not required to pay their medical expenses or provide aid if able to. If a player commits suicide, this does not end the match and that player's team must continue to play with one less player. The referee is responsible for determining if a death qualifies as a suicide. Defaulting on Medical Fees If a crew is unable to provide medical assistance or to pay for the medical expenses of another team's injuries, the other team is eligible to take their due from the possessions of the other team's ship. This includes everything including and up to the defaulting team's ship.